Process of making steel wool pads and apparatus



Jan 17, 1939. N. H. MCRAE ET AL PROCESS OF MAKING STEEL WOOL PADS AND APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jam. 17, 1939. N. H. M RAE El AL 2,144,264

PROCESS OF MAKING STEEL WOOL PAPS AND APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1935 Z'Sheets-Sheec 2 Patented Jan. 17, 1939 1 UNITED STATES- PROCESS OF MAKING STEEL WOOL PADS AND APPARATUS Norman H. McRae and Edwin V. Coulter, St. PauLMinn.

Application June 5, 1935, Serial'No. 25,177

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in the method and apparatus for making steel wool pads of the type usually used in rotary machines for cleaning, scouring, or polishing purposes. By means of this method theresultant product is improved, and the formation of the pads may be more readily regulated than has previously been possible.

It has been the common method of making pads of this type to bunch steel wool together in the shape of a pad, and to work the pad to the necessary density desired. This method is long and laborious, and the pads provided are not uniform in density or in shape.

It is our purpose to first form the steel wool in a ribbon of substantially uniform density and size, and of predetermined width and thickness. We then wind this ribbon of steel wool or the like upon a mandrel between guard plates, until a disc of steel wool of desired size is formed. In this manner, a disc of uniform density and of desired width is formed quickly and with no shaping or working of the steel wool to the desired density necessary.

It is a purpose of our invention to provide a winding apparatus for the ribbon of steel wool by means of which the mandrel and the guide discs may be rotated when desired and stopped when desired. This apparatus is so devised that when the winding action is completed, a brake is automatically applied to stop the rotation of the mandrel and discs. This construction permits a mam'mum of speed to be used in the winding operation.

It is an object of our invention to provide a tension mechanism in combination with the winding apparatus which will act to feed the ribbon of steel wool to the winding mandrel with a predetermined tension. When the tension is increased, the steel wool is wound more tightly about the mandrel than when less tension is applied. Thus the density of the formed discs of steel wool is regulated by the tension means to provide loose or tightly wound discs of steel wool.

We have found that steel wool pads made in accordance with our invention hold shape a much longer period of time, and will not fail due to a flaw in the pad as was previously commonly true. The various layers of' material interweave together as the pad is wound, and will not readily separate after the pad has been completed.

While we have described our invention as being particularly adapted for the formation of pads of steel wool, we desire to have it understood that other similar materials could be as properly used (Cl. Mil-92.2)

if desired. We therefore do not desire to confine our invention to-steel wool, but to material having properties similar to those of steel wool.

These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of our specification:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of our apparatus for forming pads of steel wool.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of a pad of steel wool formed in accordance with our method.

Figure 4 illustrates a small portion of the ribbon of steel wool which is first formed before the pad is wound.

In carrying out our method of forming steel wool pads, we first form the steel wool into a string, and then form this string of steel wool into a ribbon of material, as illustrated at ID in Figure 4 of the drawings. This ribbon is of predeter mined width and thickness, and is then wound upon a suitable spool l l for convenience in handiat In fonning the pads A, we wind the ribbon Ill of steel wool between guard discs I2 or' plates until a pad A as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings is formed. The various layers of ribbon l0 interconnect and form a unitary pad A which may be used on a rotary polishing, cleaning or scouring machine. The pad forming apparatus comprises a frame l3 having a pair of spaced aligned bearings i4 and [5 extending transversely therein. A shaft i6 extends through the bearing I4, to one end of which is secured a clutch disc H. A ring of friction material l8 is secured on the clutch disc I]. A pulley I9 is secured on the other end of the shaft [6, on the opposite side of the bearing I4 from the disc l1.

Secured to the inner end of the bearing l5 we secure a brake disc 20. This disc 20 is provided with a ring 22 of friction material thereon. A shaft 23 extends through the bearing l5 and through the disc 20. To the end of the shaft 23 we secure a shifting collar 24. This collar 24 is grooved annularly at 25, and in the groove 25 is positioned the shifting pins 26 of a shifting yoke 21. The yoke 21 is pivoted at 28 to the frame l3, and is held by the spring 29 in one extreme position in which the collar 24 is in contact with the friction material ring 22. Thus, when the collar 24 is not being manually held away from the brake disc 20, the spring 29 will 5 tend to keep the shaft 23 from rotation due to the friction between the brake disc 20 and the collar 24 on the shaft 23.

The yoke 21 is provided with an arm 30 which extends laterally from the pivot 28. A link 32 connects the arm 38 with the foot pedal 33, which is pivoted at 34.. Obviously, when the foot padal 33 is depressed, the yoke 21 pivots at 28, sliding the collar 24 against the clutch disc IT. This will cause the collar 24 to rotate with the disc H on the shaft l6 which is rotated by the pulley I 9. As soon as the pedal 33 is released, the spring 29 will force the collar 24 against the brake disc 20, stopping the shaft 23.

The end 35of the shaft 23 projects beyond the bearing l5 and forms a support for the forming mandrel for the pads A. A collar 36 on the shaft 23 is held in position by the set screw 31, and is provided with a pin 38 which extends into the space between the guide discs l2. One of the guide discs I2 is secured to and held adjacent the collar, and the pin 38 extends through a hole in this disc. A spacing sleeve 39 extends about the end 35 of the shaft 23. The second guide disc I2 is clamped between the sleeve 39 and the nut 40.

When it is desired to form a steel wool pad, we first remove the outer guide disc l2 by means of removing the integral nut 40. The end of the ribbon ill of steel wool is impaled upon the pin 38, to hold the end firmly upon the mandrel. The foot pedal 33 is then operated, causing the shaft 23 to rotate with the shaft l6, and causing the ribbon of steel wool to be wrapped about the sleeve 39.

Between the spool II and the shaft 23 of the apparatus, we illustrate diagrammatically two pairs of rollers 42 and 43 between which the ribbon extends, to guide the ribbon into proper position to be wound into the pads A. Interposed between these two pairs of rollers, we provide a tensioning device by means of which the tension on the ribbon of steel wool can be regulated. This device comprises a loop frame 44 through which the ribbon of steel wool extends. The bottom of this frame 44 is flared outwardly at either end, so that the ribbon will travel without interruption through the loop. A shoe 45 rides upon the surface of the ribbon l0, and is urged against the same under pressure of the springs 46 on the bolts 41 connected on the shoe and extending through the loop frame 44. By tightening the nuts 48, the shoe can be moved away from the bottom of the frame, and the tension against the shoe is relieved; and by loosening the nuts 48, the shoe is moved nearer to the bottom of the loop frame 44, and the tension is increased.

When the tension on the ribbon I8 is increased, the ribbon is pulled tightly between the loop frame 44 and the shaft 23, wrapping the ribbon i0 tightly and compressing the various layers of material to provide a greatly condensed roll of steel wool. By decreasing the tension, a loosely wrapped pad A can be provided. Thus by our method and with our apparatus, a pad of virtually any desired density can be formed.

The width of the pad formed is determined by the width of the space between the discs l2. By providing a series of interchangeable sleeves 39, of different lengths, the width of the space between the discs l2 may be adjusted to provide the desired thickness of pad. Similarly, the diameter of the roll may be regulated by substituting for the removable plate i2 and integral nut 40, a plate I 2 of a different diameter. The fixed plate I! may'be of the largest diameter desired in a pad, and the removable plate i2 may be interchanged for a plate of the diameter of the desired pad. In this way, the operator may be able to see just when the desired diameter has been reached in the winding operation.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of operation of our method and apparatus, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative of a means of carrying out our invention, and that obvious changes can be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. The method of forming steel wool pads consisting in feeding a fiat ribbon-like portion of steel wool substantially the width of the desired pad onto a rotating mandrel between guide plates to form the steel wool pad of the desired diameter, rotating the mandrel to wind the tape, regulating the width of the tape to regulate the width of the pad, and applying the desired tension on the ribbon of steel wool being fed to the mandrel at variable tension at a point spaced from the mandrel to provide a similar tension at all points during the winding operation and to regulate the density of the finished steel wool pad.

2. The method of making steel wool pads consisting in wrapping fiat ribbon steel wool substantially the width of the desired pad about a rotatable member, regulating the width of the strip to regulate the width of the pad to make the same uniform from the axis to the periphery thereof, and regulating the tension on the steel wool at a point spaced from the rotatable member to provide constantly even-adjustedv tension while it is wound to give the desired density to the pad.

3. The method of making steel wool pads having a flat nature, consisting in wrapping layers of ribbon-like steel wool substantially rectangular in cross-section and the width of the pad spirally with one layer upon the other to the desired diameter, regulating the width of the layers to regulate the pad width, and applying sufficient friction to the ribbon of steel wool as it is being wrapped, the friction being applied at a point spaced from the spiral to maintain constant even tension to form the pad to give the desired density to the body of the finished pad.

4. A device for making rolled material comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a guide plate on said shaft, pointed piercing pin means projecting from said guide plate adapted to pierce through and to be embedded in the material to be wound adjacent the end thereof, and

uide means for the other side of the material to be wound spaced from said guide plate and from said projecting means.

NORMAN H. McRAE. EDWIN V. COULTER. 

